HOLLYWOOD, Calif.—Former football player Dave Candle reflects on his transition from Italian National squad defensive end to headlining performer in adult entertainment.
What started as a teenage passion for American football in Cagliari, Sardinia, evolved into an unexpected second act where Dave has become a leading male talent and principal performer in adult.
Dave’s early discipline and dedication to athletics laid the foundation for his future success. As a young man, he joined a local football team after a friend’s invitation and immediately found his calling. “From the first training, I loved it,” Candle said. "Within a short time, I was made captain of the team, and at 18, earned a place on the Italian national squad—a significant milestone for any young athlete."
His sports career was capped with a Best Player trophy—a gratifying send-off for a standout competitor.
Trading cleats for cameras, Candle entered the adult industry with his partner Cherry Candle, starting as amateur creators before catching the attention of professionals. "My first official scene, alongside Cherry, was shot for [European company] Beate-Uhse.tv in the Alps," noted Candle. "I then made a professional debut for Little Caprice Dreams."
Over the past two years, Candle has played central roles in dozens of productions, working with major studios including Vixen Media Group, Fake Hub, SexArt, Nubiles Films, Erika Lust, and LetsDoeIt.
“Discipline, pressure, performance—those are things I took from football and brought with me onto the set,” Candle said. “I’ve always loved the challenge of being the main protagonist, the hero of the story.”
Notable roles include a title role in Deeper’s Popping Off (2024), directed by W.C Walker; a performance in “Cheating MILF, Carla Boom Pays Pizza Order with Her Pussy” (2024), for LetsDoeIt; and as “the main attraction” in What Turns Her On Pt 2 (2025) for Nubiles Films. Dave has also appeared in ten scenes for SexArt.
His work has earned Candle high-profile industry award nominations. In 2023, he scored his first Fan-Voted AVN nomination for Hottest Boy/Girl Collab with Cherry Candle. In 2024, he returned to the Fan-Voted AVN ballot with nods for Favorite Male Indie Creator, Hottest Anal Creator Collab, and again, Hottest Boy/Girl Collab with Cherry.
The recognition continued into 2025 with AVN nominations for Best Male Newcomer and Favorite Male Porn Star, along with a Best International Group Sex Scene nod for The Budapest Affair, co-starring Cherry Candle and Talia Mint. The film also earned a nomination for Best Cinematography, for Dennis Claes’ expert visuals.
With several award nominations and a growing fanbase, Candle has established himself as an up-and-coming leading man and proven performer. Looking ahead to his next chapter, he is clear, he was born to be the frontman of the cast.
